Barack Obama's New World Order

**min0 lee** · 04-04-2009, 08:07 AM

Barack Obama's New World Order - TIME

The United States is still the same country it was a year ago, give or take about 6 million jobs. But its international branding campaign, as led by the new President, Barack Obama, is so different that the rest of the world might be forgiven if it has to do a double take.

Most of the hallmarks of the foreign policy of George W. Bush are gone. The old conservative idea of "American exceptionalism," which placed the U.S. on a plane above the rest of the world as a unique beacon of democracy and financial might, has been rejected. At almost every stop, Obama has made clear that the U.S. is but one actor in a global community.

Talk of American economic supremacy has been replaced by a call from Obama for more growth in developing countries. Claims of American military supremacy have been replaced with heavy emphasis on cooperation and diplomatic hard labor. (Read "Obama in Europe: Facing Four Big Challenges.")

The tone was set from Obama's first public remarks in London on Wednesday, at a press conference with Prime Minister Gordon Brown, where the American President said he had come "to listen, not to lecture."

At a joint appearance with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Baden-Baden on Friday, a German reporter asked Obama about his "grand designs" for NATO. "I don't come bearing grand designs," Obama said, scrapping the leadership role the U.S. maintained through the Cold War.

On Thursday night, after the G-20 summit ended, Obama took so many questions from the foreign press, including British, Indian and Chinese reporters, that a group of them applauded when he left the stage. Two American reporters asked Obama for his response to the claim by Brown that the "Washington consensus is over." Obama all but agreed with Brown, noting that the phrase had its roots in a significant set of economic policies that had shown itself to be imperfect. He went on to talk about the benefits of increasing economic competition with the U.S. "That's not a loss for America," he said of the economic rise of other powers. "It's an appreciation that Europe is now rebuilt and a powerhouse. Japan is rebuilt, is a powerhouse. China, India — these are all countries on the move. And that's good."

At a town hall in Strasbourg, France, Obama stood before an audience of mostly French and German youth and admitted that the U.S. should have a greater respect for Europe. "In America, there's a failure to appreciate Europe's leading role in the world," he said before offering other European critical views of his country. "There have been times where America has shown arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive."

The contrast is striking. Only four years ago, George W. Bush, in his second Inaugural Address, described what he called America's "considerable" influence, saying, "We will use it confidently in freedom's cause." Bush's vision of American power was combative and aggressive. He said the U.S. would "seek and support the growth of democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture." He continued, "We go forward with complete confidence in the eventual triumph of freedom."

Obama, by contrast, is looking for collaboration. He is looking to build a collective vision, not to impose an American one. And the response has been notable, from the endless flashbulbs that fired off at his town hall to the cheers of spectators who lined his motorcade routes and gathered outside his events in London. At the end of Obama's Friday press conference, French President Nicolas Sarkozy addressed the issue directly, speaking through an interpreter. "It feels really good to be able to work with a U.S. President who wants to change the world and who understands that the world does not boil down to simply American frontiers and borders," he said. "And that is a hell of a good piece of news for 2009."

**PainandGain** · 04-04-2009, 08:46 AM

Long live the king

**min0 lee** · 04-04-2009, 09:05 AM

Bush has long left the building.

**IronAddict** · 04-04-2009, 09:10 AM

I believe the question was,"what has he accomplished in his first two months".

**busyLivin** · 04-04-2009, 01:35 PM

Great.. the world loves us now because of Obama... sounds pretty shallow to me. I would love for someone to tell me how kissing Europe's useless ass does anything for us.They still haven't committed any more combat troops that Obama requested this week. Not one.

It's all bullshit. America is exceptional. We are the best, and I'm tired of people being ashamed of that. They will always be jealous of the best.

Reagan had it right.. peace through strength. You don't have to like us, but you will respect us.

**busyLivin** · 04-04-2009, 01:36 PM

Hundred bucks says he only has one term.

**Prince** · 04-04-2009, 01:44 PM

Originally Posted by busyLivin

Reagan had it right.. peace through strength. You don't have to like us, but you will respect us.

hmmm...is that really respect, or just fear?

**maniclion** · 04-04-2009, 03:44 PM

The first step in doing good business is to become chummy with your clientele and business partners. Ever since I've gotten into a semi-executive position I have noticed that the most successful business men (like my boss and my late Step-Father) could charm the hell out of anyone they met. It's magic to watch them do their thing they have people fall in love with them right off the bat and keep them suspended in their aura and then they form relationships that end up making them millions....... I have yet to figure out the spells for this but once I do I'll hit the road running with it..... Obama seems to have this charm and hopefully it will bode well for the financial security of our nation......

**maxpro2** · 04-04-2009, 04:06 PM

Originally Posted by busyLivin

I'm living in the past, with a big boner for Reagan.

Interesting perspective.

**min0 lee** · 04-04-2009, 09:03 PM

Originally Posted by busyLivin

Great.. the world loves us now because of Obama... sounds pretty shallow to me. I would love for someone to tell me how kissing Europe's useless ass does anything for us.They still haven't committed any more combat troops that Obama requested this week. Not one.
.

**Yanick** · 04-04-2009, 09:29 PM

From, "The Prince" by Machiavelli

"Upon this a question arises: whether it be better to be loved than feared or feared than loved? It may be answered that one should wish to be both, but, because it is difficult to unite them in one person, is much safer to be feared than loved, when, of the two, either must be dispensed with. Because this is to be asserted in general of men, that they are ungrateful, fickle, false, cowardly, covetous, and as long as you succeed they are yours entirely; they will offer you their blood, property, life and children, as is said above, when the need is far distant; but when it approaches they turn against you. And that prince who, relying entirely on their promises, has neglected other precautions, is ruined; because friendships that are obtained by payments, and not by greatness or nobility of mind, may indeed be earned, but they are not secured, and in time of need cannot be relied upon; and men have less scruple in offending one who is beloved than one who is feared, for love is preserved by the link of obligation which, owing to the baseness of men, is broken at every opportunity for their advantage; but fear preserves you by a dread of punishment which never fails."

Read the whole page I linked to above. It makes more points that are pertinent to this discussion.

**FishOrCutBait** · 04-04-2009, 11:42 PM

Originally Posted by Prince

hmmm...is that really respect, or just fear?

is it just fear or is it respect?

I respect big guns.

I fear big guns pointed at other people.

**Dale Mabry** · 04-05-2009, 06:19 AM

Originally Posted by busyLivin

Great.. the world loves us now because of Obama... sounds pretty shallow to me. I would love for someone to tell me how kissing Europe's useless ass does anything for us.They still haven't committed any more combat troops that Obama requested this week. Not one.

It's all bullshit. America is exceptional. We are the best, and I'm tired of people being ashamed of that. They will always be jealous of the best.

Reagan had it right.. peace through strength. You don't have to like us, but you will respect us.

Reagan was a great president, with charisma similar to Obama, but his policies are outdated for the current global community. Take, for example, his trickle-down policies. Bush gave huge tax cuts to the rich, tax cuts that should, theoretically, have trickled down to the middle class. Over the course of the 8 years Bush was in office, unemployment rose and the wages of the middle class stagnated to the effect that they weren't able to afford the ARMs they purchased their houses under. Great president for his time, outdated policies for the current environment.

**Prince** · 04-05-2009, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by FishOrCutBait

is it just fear or is it respect?

I respect big guns.

I fear big guns pointed at other people.

not sure what your point is.

**BulkMeUp** · 04-06-2009, 11:19 AM

Originally Posted by FishOrCutBait

is it just fear or is it respect?

I respect big guns.

I fear big guns pointed at other people.

So do you respect big guns out of fear? if no then why do you respect them?

**min0 lee** · 04-06-2009, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by BulkMeUp

So do you respect big guns out of fear? if not then why do you respect them?

An extension of the small penis.

**BulkMeUp** · 04-06-2009, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by min0 lee

An extension of the small penis.

**OuiSwim** · 04-07-2009, 09:34 AM

Originally Posted by min0 lee

An extension of the small penis.

Hehe

**CORUM** · 04-07-2009, 09:52 AM

respect/fear lets go back to the 20's through about the early 90's, did people fear the MOB or respect the MOB? either way they got the job done. so gain respect through fear, it'll get the job done.

**Prince** · 04-07-2009, 10:23 AM

you do not gain respect through fear, once the fear is gone then what happens?

**min0 lee** · 04-07-2009, 10:26 AM

I didn't like the fact that the Mob is/ was glorified.

These guys ruined neighborhoods and businesses, made the Unions even more crooked..... in NYC we had the busiest docks in America ...gone because of the corrupt Mob.

**min0 lee** · 04-07-2009, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by Prince

you do not gain respect through fear, once the fear is gone then what happens?

I rather have the respect of others than having people fear me.

The feared bully always get's it at the end.

**IronAddict** · 04-07-2009, 10:33 AM

Never mind the fact that the 'Cosa Nostra' created the actions we now refer to as Lobbyists.

**BulkMeUp** · 04-07-2009, 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by min0 lee

I rather have the respect of others than having people fear me.

The problem is that most forget that respect, like trust, has to be earned.

**busyLivin** · 04-07-2009, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by Prince

you do not gain respect through fear, once the fear is gone then what happens?

North Korea, Iran.. .take your pick.

**busyLivin** · 04-07-2009, 10:53 AM

When you people realize we can't negotiate with terrorists, we'll be a lot better off.

**IronAddict** · 04-07-2009, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by busyLivin

When you people realize we can't negotiate with terrorists, we'll be a lot better off.

What do you mean, 'you people'!

Depending what you mean by negotiate, all they really want is for the US to vacate and leave the Muslim world alone.

**min0 lee** · 04-07-2009, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by busyLivin

North Korea, Iran.. .take your pick.

This goes way back....

**Prince** · 04-07-2009, 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by busyLivin

North Korea, Iran.. .take your pick.

thanks genius, but I did not pose that question because I personally needed an answer to it.

**busyLivin** · 04-07-2009, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by Prince

thanks genius, but I did not pose that question because I personally needed an answer to it.

I do what I can

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